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Alcohol and human performance
Author(s) -
GLENCROSS DENIS J.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
drug and alcohol review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.018
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1465-3362
pISSN - 0959-5236
DOI - 10.1080/09595239000185161
Subject(s) - information processing , cognition , perception , alcohol consumption , stimulus (psychology) , computer science , cognitive psychology , information transmission , psychology , alcohol , neuroscience , biology , computer network , biochemistry
The present paper presents a comprehensive review of studies concerned with the effects of alcohol on human performance. It attempts to review the studies within the framework of the information processing model. The effects of alcohol on information processing and transmission rates, sensory and perceptual processes, motor‐control processes, attentional processes, and cognitive processes are described and discussed. It is proposed that such a processes analysis of human performance is a useful vehicle to describe the specific effects of alcohol. From the review it is concluded that much of the evidence from simple task description is equivocal. However, when information load is increased, when the stimulus‐response incompatibility increases, and when the number of competing information processes occur in ‘parallel’, then a strong, consistent and coherent pattern of performance deterioration is associated with alcohol consumption.